Smoothing iron



H. S. WOODRUFF Jul 24, 1923.

SMOOTHING IRON Original Filed Jan. 1'7, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEY.

July 24, 1928. mvssw H. s. WOODRUFF SMOOTHING IRON Original File n 17, 15 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 i I Q I 2 gay/gyro: 54 By f Q. W,

A TTOBNEY.

Patented July 24,1928.

, UNITED STATES I "1,678,310 7 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY s. woonnurr, or" SCHENEGTADY, NEW YORK.

SMOOTHING IRON.

Application filed January 17, 1925, Serial No. 3,202. Renewed June 5,1928.

This invention relates to smoothing irons and is herein shown asembodied in an electrically heated sad iron. I

An object of the invention is to provide an iron in which the heat isbetter distributed and more effectively utilized. Another object is toprovide an iron which can be comfortably manipulated and which will becooler to handle. Another Object is to provide a more satisfactory plugconnection by which better electrical contact is established and bywhich the plug is better protected and less in the way; Still anotherobject is to provide an iron which can be l5 quickly assembled anddisassembled and which will require a minimum number of fasteningdevices for the parts.

To these ends and also to improve generally upon devices of thecharacter indicated my invention consists in the various mattershereinafter described and claimed. Inthe drawings, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the iron, partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the body with its shell and other partsremoved.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section of parts of the handle on line 4-4 ofFigure 3.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation and half sec-- tion of the connection plug.Figure 6 is a cross section on line 6-6 of Figure 2. he body of the ironis formed in two sections, one section comprising a sole plate 2 ortongue 4 at the front and the other sec tion comprisingfa block. 6 with.tapering walls 8 at its front end arranged to fit the sides ofthe tongue4. The top face of the iron slopes downwardly to the rear and, as it hasa tapering nose, it is of substantially uniform cross sectional areafrom front to rear. This increase in height where the iron I is narrowand the decrease in height where it is wide provides more equabledistribution of heat and avoids the usual loss of heat from the noseportion where heat -is particularly desired. The lower section has arabbet 10 around the outside to receive the lower edge of a shell orcover plate 12 which is elsewhere spaced from the body to provide a heatinsulating spaceprotecting the handle and the hand of the user. Theshell may be considered a part of the bod Between the two sections ofthe bod;l is clamped a heating unit 14 the coils of w 'ch with anupwardly pro ecting wedge portion are carried up to the front on bothsides of 0f flowing upwardly directly to the handle goes to the uppersection or block 6. This heat however is not lost because it istransmitted by the block 6 to the tongue 4 which conducts it to the noseof the iron where it is most' needed. Good contact between. the walls 8and the tongue is assured by the following means. A bolt 16 is threadedinto the sole plate at a slight angle to the vertical (or normal to thetop face of thesection 6), this bolt projecting upwardly through a hole18 in the section 6 and through a circular recess 20 at the top ofsection ,6. A nut 22 is threaded on the bolt in the recess and bearsagainst the section 6 or against a washer which in turn rests on ashoulder 7 is of channel section, the rear arm 30 being wider and havingwider flanges 31. The adjacent ends of the arms are recessed to fit thesides of a hollow nut 32 which is threaded" on the bolt 16. The edges ofthe flanges of the channelled armsare provided with hooks or spurs 34and 36 arranged to project into slots formed in the shell or cover plate12. The upper ends of the arms carry tubular projections 38' and 40arranged to detachably engage cup shaped plates 42 and 44 set intorecesses at the ends of the grip 26. Turning down the hollow nut 32 willobviously draw down the adjacent ends of the arms and cause theprojections 38 and 40 to enter the ends of the grip and clamp it inplace. With this construction the grip need not be weakened by boring itlongitudinally fora long clamping bolt. The grip is inclined downwardlyto the rear, thus giving a more natural and restful position for thewrist and hand. The rear arm 30, with its wide flanges 31, houses aconnection plug 46, and preferably has a downturned portion 48 fordetachable connection with the plug.

The plug 46 comprises a block of insulating material enclosed in aU-shaped metal ('aso 50. said case having a spring ton no 52 to snapunder the downturned portlon 48 on arm 30 and a spring 54 to enter aslot 56 in the shell 12. Lead wires 58 from a cord 60 are secured tobinding screws 62 set in recesses at the top of the plug 46 and thesescrews are electrically connected to terminal contacts 64', each contactcomprising a curled portion 66 open towards the front of the iron andarranged to wi against corresponding contacts 68 carried y the body of'the iron. Contacts 68 are formed by loops at the ends of plates 70 whichhave theirlower ends 72 connected to the heating unit 14. The lates 70are set in recesses of an insulating block 74 clamped in a recess 75 ofthe section 6 by screw bolts 76 and 78. WVhen applying the plug, thespring 54 is first let into its slot 56 and then the upper part of theplug is pushed forwardly into. locking engagement with the arm 30, thespring tongue 52 snapping under the portion 48 of arm 30. Thls actionprovides a Wiping contact between contacts 64 and 68 to insure goodelectrical connection. The terminal contacts areindependent of the meansfor holding the plug to the iron, and the spring 54 is far enough fromthe source of heat and has such a small area of contact with the ironthat it holds its temper. The spring 54 keeps greater pressure on thecontacts than is required to swing the plug into locking posi tion. Theplug is protected by the flanges 31 on arm'SO of the handle and itallows the iron to be turned up on its heel when not in use and theusual stand for holding the iron can be dispensed with.

Although the invention has been'described by reference to a specificconstrucsection and an upper section, a heating unit,

secured between the sections, and a tongue projecting from one sectionand interlocking with the other section to conduct heat from one sectionto the other.

3. In an iron, a body comprising a lower section forming a sole platewith an upwardly projecting tongue at the front thereof, an uppersection having its front end straddling the tongue, and a heating unitbetween the sections.

4. In an iron, a body comprising a lower section and an upper section, atongue at the front of the lower section, said upper section having aslot to fit said tongue, and

means for holding said sections together.

5. In an iron, a body comprising a lower, section having an upwardlyprojecting wedge shaped tongue at the front, an upper section having atapering slot to fitsaid tongue, and an inclined bolt connecting saidsections.

6.- In an iron, .a body, and heating means I connected to a source ofcurrent, and a spring independent of said contacts for pressing saidcontacts together and connecting said plugto the body.

v8. In an iron, 9. body, a handle therefor, I

a heating unit secured to the body, electrical contacts connected tosaid heat ng unit, a connection plug having electrical contactsconnectedto a source of current, a detachable connection between the plug and thehandle, and. a spring carried by the plug for pressing said contacts toother and connecting said plug to the b0 y. 1

'9. In an iron, a body, a handle having an arm, a heating unit securedto the body, electrical contacts connected to said heating unit, aconnection plug having electrical contacts connected to a source ofcurrent, a spring tongue on said plug to interlock with said handle arm,and a spring member carried by said plug and detachably connected to thebody.

10. In an iron, a body, a handle having an arm, a heating unit securedto the body,

electrical contacts connected to said heating unit, a connection plughaving electrical contacts connected to a source of current, said handlearm having side flanges embracing said plug, and means for securing saidplug between said flanges.

11. ,In an iron, a body, a handle therefor, a heating unit secured tothe body, electrical contacts connected tosaid heating unit and curledat their ends, a connection plug having electrical contacts connected toa source of current and curled at their ends to fit the first mentionedcontacts, and means for effecting a wiping engagement of said contactswhen attaching the plug.

In testimony whereof- I afiix'my signature.

HENRY s. WOODRUFF.

